Old Age is a Terminal Illness
How I Learned to Age Gracefully and Conquer My Fear of Dying

by Alma H. Bond, Ph.D.

As I reviewer I don’t usually try to interpret what is the author’s technical work. I take what is presented and tell you, the reader, what I think will pique your interest (primarily because it held mine), and then explain why I either enjoyed the work or not. I don’t think that is a valid method of review for “Old Age is a Terminal Illness.” I think I have to tell you what you are supposed to learn, so you will read the book in order to figure out HOW to learn it. Dr. Bonds created a Death Diary, a twist journaling, and wrote in it anything she thought about death and about people in her life who have died. By doing so she developed a tool to help her deal with the fear of the end of this life. As with all psychological tools, your specific fears will be different, as will the tool you develop to help you break your patterns.

What you are supposed to learn:

Embrace the phase of life you are in, and experience the emotions and conditions of that phase. Don’t stay in the previous phases of your life. They are your preparation for today. Don’t try to prevent the next phase of life, you will miss the current experience and not know how to deal with the one that follows; inevitably another phase WILL come, whether you are ready for it or not.

Dr. Bonds has enjoyed a rich life full of family and friends. In her book she explains how children, crisis, joy, work, love and grief have all played as large a part in her growth and aging. She has anticipated and noted the progression of the phases of her life, first an infant, and on to daughter, maiden, wife, mother, wise woman, grandmother, author, crone…and she realizes there are very few known earthly steps left. She is approaching the door through which none are known to return, and how is she, or are we, supposed to prepare to open it and move through when we arrive?

In our western culture we mostly choose to ignore the possibility of death because it is not logical to our way of life. We don’t know what it is or how to plan for something that doesn’t have a budget and schedule. Dr. Bonds’ tool helps provide insight into a puzzle that is not expected to be broken soon, if ever.